Thoughts and Reflections

Matthew 5:16

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

All of my life – growing up – I was told that my actions reflected on my earthly father and mother. My dad was the pastor of my home church and as I grew into my teens – people knew him and if I did something good or something not so good – it would reflect upon him (and mom).

I remember a time in my early twenties when my friends wanted to go downtown Annapolis – drinking. I went along with them (I didn’t and don’t drink). I remember wrestling with the idea of my witness to my friends (that I could have a good time without drinking) and the witness of someone seeing me coming out of a bar (I was raised in the old Methodist belief that drinking was something to be avoided – we called it abstinence). Continue reading →

Matthew 8:3

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.

There are days and nights when I remember my dad (mom too but this is about dad). My father was a wonderful man of God. I would imagine that some preacher’s kids get tired of hearing their father or mother preach. My wife often says she has heard (after 39 of 41 years of shared ministry and marriage) everything – several times – from me (LOL).

I never grew tired of hearing my dad preach. He had a way of making the Gospel real and down to earth so that even a child could understand what he was sharing. I remember – even as a teen – sitting in the balcony of the church or on the back pew (see – even as a youth I was a good Methodist – LOL) – and listening to my dad preach and being moved – being touched.

One of the things that touched me was that dad lived what he preached. He wasn’t on stage preaching and living a different life. He lived the truth he preached. I strive to follow that model today. Continue reading →

Matthew 26:75

Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.And he went outside and wept bitterly.

How quickly do we notice when someone wrongs us? How quick are we to point out someone’s sin or someone’s error? How quickly do we seek for things to be made right when we are harmed?

I grew up with rules and regulations. I was a jock – so I played many sports and sports have rules and regulations. There are lines on the court or field to keep us in bounds. There are rules that establish when we have done something wrong and there are prescribed penalties for when we break the rules. There are even umpires – people to arbitrate the rules and be judges.

I grew up with rules and regulations. I am a PK (Preacher’s Kid) so I was a child of the church. There are rules and regulations for children in church – especially for the pastor’s kids. There were places we could play ball and there were places we couldn’t. There were age rules on groups (my friends got into youth group before I could attend) and there were other rules and regulations as well. Continue reading →